The study of evidence of Degenerative Joint Disease in Essay

The study of evidence of Degenerative Joint Disease in archaeologically-retrieved human skeletons can reveal much about the nature of earlier societies. Discuss - Essay Example of activities the society held important, but again, this does not necessarily reflect the daily activities of the people, tending to focus instead upon ceremonial events. Perhaps a greater clue as to the daily activities, social structures and other lifestyle features of earlier populations can be found within the bones of the people themselves. By studying archaeologically-retrieved human skeletons for evidence of degenerative joint disease, much can be determined about the common activities of the people under investigation. Degenerative joint disease is also known as osteoarthritis, DJD or osteoarthrosis. It is a form of arthritis that is characterized by a degeneration, or breaking down, of the cartilage in the joints. In conjunction with this break down, there is usually an accompanying overgrowth of bone, a narrowing of the joint space, a hardening of the bone within the joint surfaces and a creeping deformity in the joints themselves (Burnett, 2005). While the disease can strike in several places, most commonly in the hands, fingers, knees, hips and spine, the cartilage of the joints breaks down faster when the joint is in more constant use. â€Å"Over many years and with activity and use of a joint, the cartilage may become frayed, injured, torn and may even wear away entirely. When this occurs, the bone surface on one side of the joint tends to rub or glide against the bone on the opposite side of the joint, providing a less elastic joint surface, and generating higher contact pressures at the e nd of the bone† (Burnett, 2005). With these kinds of major changes happening in the joints during the individual’s lifetime, it is easily understood that the disease would leave recognizable and permanent features upon the skeletons. Because this form of arthritis is the most common bone disease experienced by human beings and it can reach highly severe levels, restricting or removing activities from daily life, the presence of disease in ancient

Contemperary issues in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemperary issues in business - Essay Example The report would also address the various ways of responding to the turbulent changes in the business of the company. The company that has been chosen for this work is Mercedes Benz. Mercedes Benz is a multinational automobile company that is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. The company is the automobile distribution of the German automobile producer Daimler AG. The business of Mercedes Benz has its roots way back in the patent of Daimler in 1901 and the patent of Benz in 1886. The model first emerged in 1926 under the name of Daimler-Benz. The restructuring of the organization resulted in the change of name of the business model and is today referred as Mercedes Benz. The products of the company are the luxury automobiles in the categories of various cars, coaches, trucks and buses. The customers served by the Mercedes Benz automobile business comprises of mainly the luxury market segment and its customers. However, the company has also launched lower price model from the year 2 011 which included the B-class, C-class and the M-class automobile products. The roadster model has also gained popularity among the customers in the market. This has led to the increase in market share of Mercedes Benz over the years as compared to its competitors in the world market, namely Audi, BMW, etc. The growth of market share for Mercedes Benz from the year 2006 to 2011 has been represented below in graphical form. The market share of Mercedes Benz has increased from 12.96% in 2006 to 16.59% in 2011. The business of Mercedes Benz could be termed as an open business which is open to the challenges and opportunities of the macro-economic environment in the world market. The business has been able to identify the changing market environment in various economies over a period of last five years for which the company has been able to operate efficient as an open system (Phillips, 1983, p.185). 2.0 Today’s drivers of change The business of Mercedes Benz has been an open sy stem to the prevailing conditions of the several markets in which it has ventured. The company is influenced by the drivers of change in today’s market. It is therefore, important for the company to identify the drivers of change in today’s automobile market in order to be prepared for the challenges to be faced in future course of business (Cameron and Green, 2012, p.88). The drivers of change in the business of Mercedes Benz could be analysed by reviewing the political, economic, social, environmental, legal and technological environment in which it operates. 2.1 Political The political environment in the markets of operation of Mercedes Benz has varied due to the policies of the government that are driven by the political motives. The governments in US, UK, France, etc. have showed concerns over the quality of models launched by Mercedes Benz in order to ensure safety and protection of the customers. The political interferences in the merger and acquisition of Merce des Benz with the other companies like Studebaker and Packard Corporation

Essay 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 9

2 - Essay Example From Tito’s story, the theme of family relationship emerges, and one learns about the disadvantages of having poor relationship with family. The immigrant, Tito Urena, is portrayed as one that had poor relationship with his family members. He is shown as having not communicated with his family for a long time. Additionally, he was involved in a conflict with one Haydee, who was once his wife, with whom he had separated for 16 years (Spack 156). The story also shows the remarkable isolation of Tito during the time of his death, as well as after his death. A highlight of this story is where Tito suffers a heart attack that cuts his life short while in his office. At the time of his death, Tito had no one around him in his office, as he was all alone. He lived far away from his family whom he never contacted. His poor relationship with family could not allow him to call any of them before succumbing to the heart attack. Therefore, Tito died all alone. After his death, no one realized that Tito was dead. In fact, his body spent two days in the office before being noticed (Spack 159). His body remained unclaimed, and only his mistress could be traced by police. Therefore, this kind of alienation and failure to embrace family relationships made Tito live and die a lonely death. The second story, â€Å"Albert and Esene† by Frances Khirallah also bears the significant theme of family relationships. The author depicts Esene, a widow, as having good relationship with her family members and relatives. This story teaches on the advantages of embracing good relationship with family. There are different aspects in this story that are an evidence of the good relations that Esene had with her family. For instance, Esene shares jokes and a light moment with her husband’s, Albert’s, sisters that came to visit her (Spack 162). The mere fact that these two ladies, Safiyah and Amelia, visited Esene shows just how strong their

Analysis of Nicene Creed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of Nicene Creed - Essay Example The essay "Analysis of Nicene Creed" discusses the most widely accepted doctrine because of the use of its belief statements in Christian faith and liturgy. The Nicene Creed is majorly about the Trinity. It also highlights the historical realities as concerns the life and times of Jesus Christ. Its ideas are derived and found in scriptures and manifested in the New Testament. Others have remarked that â€Å"The Nicene Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostle's Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture." There are twelve articles included in the Nicene Creed, which defines the most important doctrines of our faith. 1. We believe in one God. This shows that as Christians, Jews or Muslims there is an overrunning belief that a Super Natural power God exists. The creed highlights an act of unity through belief. It is both my confession as well as our confession. 2. God the Father. God almighty is called â€Å"Father† in the scriptures by Jesus. This shows loving and omnipresence within His creation. God the Father also comes as the first person in the Holy Trinity – God Head. â€Å"Father† is the origin and spring of life in the Holy Trinity for He is the source of all things. God the Father is also referred to as â€Å"God unbegotten† in early Christian thought. 3. The maker of heaven and earth, of all that, is seen and unseen. This implies the feeling that God created all visible and invisible elements in the universe.

Graceland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Graceland - Essay Example him a jail sentence twice and even landing him on the death row; it was only with the help of the intervention of his friends that he was able to escape a politically motivated execution. He migrated to the UK where he earned his Master’s in Gender and Culture from Birkbeck College in London and later an MA in English and a PhD in literature and creative writing from the University of Southern California. Abani later went on to become professor for creative writing and the University of California. Chris Abani has been called as one of the so called third generation of Nigerian authors, the ‘children of the post colony’, he is a breed of writers whose works have become integral to the publishing world of today. In this novel Abani leverages his unique perspectives of African and Western cultures in the context of multiculturalism, globalization and neocolonialism. One of the key compelling factors of this novel is its multifaceted approach that challenges and questions western and particularly American cultural, economic and colonial intervention into a globalized Africa. There is a richness in the novel which stems from Abani’s own multicultural perspectives and wealth of experiences from both within and without the power structure that offer a nuanced and complex portrait of modern day globalized Africa. In this regard Graceland shares a niche with such novels as Helen Oyeyemi’s ‘The Icarus Girl’, Sefi Atta’s ‘Everything g ood will come’, Unoma Azuah’s ‘Sky High’ all of which integrate Western and Nigerian themes in their quest to project a unique perspective of nuanced Nigerian culture in the light of the triple themes of Neocolonialism, multiculturalism and globalization. The resulting product is singularly unique in its depiction of intercultural themes, of an ethno-cultural fusion that represents the new age of integrated globalized hybridity so characteristic of the modern literary era. The novel is set in a Nigeria parallel to

Themes in Othello Essay Example for Free

Themes in Othello Essay What are the major themes we have encountered in William Shakespeares Othello, so far in the play? Excellent wretch; Peridition atch my soul But I do love thee: and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. - Othello. There are many complex themes in Othello; it is a play full of very diverse characters. This contrast of characters gives the text its many themes and in turn, makes it a very interesting and compelling play. Love Whenever I think of this text and its themes, there is one that always stands out in my mind; love. Whether it is the marital love between Othello and Desdemona, or the unrequited love Roderigo has for Desdemona, it is something that heavily features throughout this play. Where we see love most often depicted, is the love between Desdemona and Othello, and the problems it causes. Carol Thomas Neely supports this idea that marital love is one of the main themes in the play, and that because of this the primary conflict is between men and women. Jealousy It is clear to see that the fire behind numerous conflicts in this text is jealousy. It is one of the primary reasons that Iago is so persistent in his destruction of Othello, and why Roderigo is so willing to help Iago in his scheming ploys. In my opinion, Iago displays the most jealous tendencies right from the start, stemming from the fact that Othello chose Cassio for the job of lieutenant, and not him. I know my price, I am worth no worse a place. It might also have something do to with Iago thinking that Othello has slept with his wife; Emilia. I hate the Moor And it is thought abroad that Itwixt my sheets Has done my office. I know not if it be true; Yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety. D. R. Godfrey examines the portrayal of jealousy in Othello, and states that Iago exhibits an all encompassing jealousy and because of this Iago becomes the most completely villainous character in all literature. Racism What a full fortune does the thick lips owe if he can carryt thus. This is one of the many racist slurs Iago uses when referring to Othello throughout the play. Othello is black, so I was expecting racism to be a relatively prominent theme, due to the time that this is set in. However, thick lips is a stereotypical view of someone from black origin, yet Othello is shown to be a hero; honest and honourable, which would have been quite startling to the Elizabethan audience, considering that black people in plays were always portrayed as villains. It is clear to see that Shakespeare challenges racial stereotypes right the way through this piece, something that Ruth Cowhig supports. She says that Shakespeares depiction of Othello as a noble character was challenging stereotypes. The majority of racism spoken throughout this text undoubtedly comes from Iago. Whenever he is talking ill of Othello, he refers to him as The Moor. Ruth Cowhig also writes about racism being another of the primary reasons for Iagos hatred towards him. Manipulation Iago makes manipulation another of the prominent themes. He uses it constantly in a bid to get whatever he wants, as a means of belittling people and to put a smoke screen up so that no-one suspects he has ulterior motives. The language he uses helps him manipulate people to the full extent. He comes across as very loyal and honest, even though the reading audience knows he is scheming. I should be wise, for honestys a fool, and loses that it works for Here, he is saying that being honest is a bad thing, and that he will not be honest again. Of course he is referring to what he has been telling Othello about Cassio and Desdemona. He manipulates Roderigo on numerous occasions, but no- one does he manipulate as much as Othello. Iago picks and picks away at him until he is so insecure he contemplates awful deeds. The consequences of Iagos manipulation become abhorrent in Act Three, Scene Three. Avaunt, be gone: Thou has set me on the rack: I swear tis better to be much abused, than but to knowt a little. Othello comes across as a broken man, and its all down to Iagos manipulation and lies. Kenneth Muir believes that the reason Othello believes Iagos lies so easily, is because he is already insecure and allows himself to be influenced by him. The four themes I have chosen to write about; Love, Racism, Manipulation and Jealousy, in my opinion, best display the texts complexity. It is a piece full of characters that, at some point, will display at least one of these themes. Shakespeares use of these themes and how he applies them to each character has made Othello one of the greatest pieces of literature ever to appear in the literary world. I am not what I am. This extremely provocative quote by Othello sums up not only himself, but much of the play as well. No-body is completely as they appear, thus bringing up the question of what exactly is Iago? An avenging angel possibly, come to show people their true selves? Bibliography Othello: Jealousy. Shakespeare for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1998 Othello: Race. Shakespeare for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Mabillard, Amanda. Othello Analysis. Shakespeare Online. 19 Mar. 2000. Word Count- 988 words. Samantha Gibson Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Has Labour Abandoned Its Socialist Principles Politics Essay

Has Labour Abandoned Its Socialist Principles Politics Essay Many consider New Labour to be operating under a deceptive title due to the fact that the party has abandoned so many of the principles traditionally associated with Labour policies. The foundation of the long-established socialist principles, which formed the basis of old Labour policies, was clause IV of the 1918 Labour constitution. Common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange was the single socialist slogan which underpinned the ethos of old Labour; equality. Historically the party was broadly in favour of socialism as set out in Clause Four of the original party constitution and advocated socialist policies such as public ownership of key industries, government intervention in the economy, redistribution of wealth, increased rights for workers, the welfare state, publicly-funded healthcare and education. Beginning in the late-1980s under the leadership of Neil Kinnock, and subsequently that of John Smith and Tony Blair however the party moved away from socialist positions, adopting free market policies, leading many observers to describe the Labour Party as Social Democratic or Third Way rather than democratic socialist. Blairism has been viewed as a continuation of traditional social democracy, concealed by better marketing and a modernized image. After 1918 the Party traditionally presented its policies as socialist, emphasizing the importance of a large state-controlled sector of the economy, relatively high levels of taxation, and comprehensive state-organized welfare provision. In office, the 1945-50 government of Clement Attlee is widely credited with successful radical reform which epitomized much of this progressive agenda. The Attlee Government created a mixed economy through the nationalization of a number of strategic industries and public utilities, as well as Keynesian ideas of economic management. A welfare state was established involving a commitment to full employment, universal social security, free universal state-funded health care and extensive state-funded social housing. Attlee also laid down a foreign and defence policy based on NATO, bilateral cooperation with the United States, and the development of nuclear weapons. Such approaches set the framework for government for the next twenty to thirty years. The general picture, however, was that Labour governments were haunted by caution and failure. The inter-war minority governments lacked political power and were heavily influenced by the desire to show that they were fit to govern. Critics of the 1945 Attlee Government highlight that actually it should have gone a lot further in nationalization and in introducing greater industrial democracy. Post-war governments commonly were unable to develop state intervention as they were beset by economic crises. Both the 1945-50 and 1966-70 Labour governments were forced to devalue the pound. The Labour governments 1974-9 presided over the shock-waves from the oil crisis following the Arab-Israeli war and domestic industrial relations problems. Inflation rose to over 25 per cent and unemployment to over 1 million. Labour was forced to seek a loan from the International Monetary Fund in 1976, and left government 1979 tarnished by the image of the winter of discontent, 1978-9, when Britain was h it by a wave of strikes. Labours common experience was to enter office with big plans and high expectations, only to retreat a few years later overwhelmed by events. Labours new leader, Michael Foot, belonged to the hard left wing of the party. He was not seen as a moderniser. Labour remained committed to a mixed economy and nuclear disarmament. Four top Labour Party figures, left to right: Bill Rodgers, Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins and David Owen quit the Labour Party in 1981 to form the new centre party; the Social Democratic Party or SDP. Twenty eight other Labour MPs also joined. The 1983 election was a disaster for Labour. Mrs Thatcher, buoyed up by her victory in the Falklands War of 1982, won a landslide victory with a 143 seat majority (compare this with a 178 majority for Blair in 1997). After the election, Neil Kinnock took over the leadership with a mission to modernise the party and make Labour electable again.He ditched the policy of nuclear disarmament and made it clear that Mrs Thatchers anti-strike laws would not be reversed. The Blair New Labour project was shaped by the partys experience of eighteen frustrating years in opposition, during which time profound changes in the UK were brought about by the Thatcher and Major governments. Labour found itself having to adjust to, even accommodate Thatcherism, following four successive general election defeats. The party was also angered by what it saw as the deleterious effects of Conservative rule, in terms of widening inequality and deepening social division. The process of Labour party modernisation that began with Neil Kinnock in 1983 was driven by electoral imperatives that became stronger with each subsequent defeat. As revised Clause 4 indicated, Labour had come to accept that the economy should be regulated by the market and not by the state. Blairism therefore built on Thatcherism and did not try to reverse it. This particularly applied in relation to the core elements of economic Thatcherism- privatization, union power, taxation and degulation. Beyond this, the first Blair government granted semi-independence to the Bank of England in the setting of interest rates. A major distinction between Old Labour and New Labour was the latters enthusiasm for reforming the constitution. During Blairs first government, 1997-2001, a bold series of constitutional reforms were introduced. These reflected a liberal desire to strengthen checks and balances by fragmenting government power and to bolster individual rights. However, many have argued that Labours conversion to constitutional liberalism was only partial. For example, plans to consider alternatives to the Westminster voting system were quickly dropped and enthusiasm for constitutional reform declined after 2001. Blairs approach to welfare was different from both the Thatcherite emphasis on standing on your own two feet and the social-democratic belief in cradle to grave support. This was reflected in unprecedented increases in health and education after 1999, the wider use of targeted benefits (as opposed to universal benefits), an emphasis on the idea of welfare-to-work and attempts to reform the public services. Blairs belief in welfare was based on what has been called social entrepreneurialism, the idea that the public services should be more market-orientated and consumer responsive. Public-private partnerships, such as private finance initiatives (PFIs), were also more widely used to, for example, build schools and hospitals. A key Blairite belief has been the idea that rights should always be balanced against responsibilities. In this sense, Blairism was influenced communitarianism. The desire to strengthen social duty and moral responsibilities was reflected in the so-called respect agenda, under which new public order laws were introduced (introducing ASBOs), the prison population rose steeply and a series of new anti-terrorism laws were passed. This also led to allegations that New Labour had endangered a range of vital civil liberties. Labours historical core vote (industrial working class union members) has also been shrinking since 1970s. The unions helped create the Labour Party. Blair has cast aside tradition in the quest for votes. Traditional blue collar union membership has declined since 1970s, whilst professional white collar unions have grown. Labour now needed to attract more funding from rich donors. This has often led to accusations of corruption. Public perception of unions in 1980s was negative. Union activity seen as militant by many. In 1997 it was revealed that Bernie Ecclestone had loaned Labour  £1m. It was believed that he had done so to ensure that a future Labour government would not ban tobacco sponsorship of Formula 1 racing. In 2002, Indian steel tycoon, Lakshmi Mittal gave Labour  £125,000, it was thought, in return for Tony Blairs help in buying a Romanian steel company. From 2005-07 a criminal investigation probes whether  £14m of loans to Labour were given by wealthy businessmen in return for peerages (seats in the House of Lords) Even now there is huge disagreement over where Labour stands ideologically, despite the insistence of both Blair and Brown that the emphasis has always been upon the restoration of traditional Labour values of fairness, justice and social inclusion. There had been an earlier attempt to update Labours ideology while in opposition in the 1950s, which had focused very heavily upon the need to bring about greater equality of outcome through the tax and benefit system. In conclusion, there is little agreement over the extent to, and even the ways in which Labour has changed. New Labour could be seen as bringing socialism up to date the values havent changed (social justice, equality of opportunity, community, partnership, rights); instead, its policies acknowledge that society has changed. New Labour is thus in the tradition of democratic socialism, but with a much reduced stress on unions, public ownership, state provision, and even redistribution. Alternatively New Labour could be seen as a radical transformation, from democratic socialism to social democracy.